Mario Lisson’s two-out, two-run home run in the 9th gave the Senators a walkoff win in the opener. Starter Richard Bleier threw eight shutout innings, with seven hits and one walk allowed before giving way to the bullpen. Gilberto Mendez struck out the side but gave up single and triple in the 9th. Derrick Robinson singled to lead off the final frame and scored ahead of Lisson’s big fly. The Sens totaled just four hits and a walk overall.

Harrisburg couldn’t push across the equalizing run and were shut out 1-0 in the nightcap to split the doubleheader. James Simmons was the losing pitcher, giving up the lone Akron run on four hits and no walks while striking out three. Paul Demny and Colin Bates combined for three shutout innings of relief. As they did in the first game, the Senators tallied just four hits — all singles.

Potomac — OFF DAY
After splitting an eight-game homestand, the P-Nats hit the road four against Salem and four against Carolina.

Two Suns pitchers combined on a seven-inning shutout by a 2-0 score in the first of two in Hagerstown. Starter and winner Matt Purke went the first five innings, allowing a walk and all four Hickory hits while striking out one and hitting a batter. Drew Van Orden threw two perfect innings to earn the save, his third. The Suns were held to just three hits and two walks, with Alec Keller (single, BB) and Jeff Gardner (BB, HBP) the only two batters to reach base twice.

Hagerstown rallied for three in the bottom of the 4th in a 3-1 win that swept the doubleheader. Luis Reyes got the win, with one run let in on two hits and four walks over five innings. Andrew Cooper and David Napoli both turned in a scoreless innings to earn the hold and save respectively. The Suns made the Crawdads pay for issuing six walks as they scored three times on just four hits, led by Grant DeBruin’s 2-for-3 effort.Roster move: LHP Brett Mooneyham released.

The Chiefs bullpen allowed three of four inherited runners score while blowing a 2-0 lead in the 7th and then coughed up three more in the 9th to lose this one, 8-5. Scott McGregor pitched his sixth straight quality start, charged with two runs on four hits and a walk over six and 2/3rds innings. Rafael Martin failed to get the one out necessary to earn the save, instead giving up two hits and two walks to the four batters he faced before he was lifted. Syracuse tied it with three runs scored with two out in the bottom of the 7th to send it into “extras.” Evan Meek was dinged for three runs in his second inning of work to take the loss. The Chiefs loaded the bases with one out in their final “ups” but the three baserunners became the 8th, 9th, and 10th men left on as a strikeout and a flyout ended the game.

Louisville continued to beat up on the Syracuse bullpen, scoring six times against four relievers for 6-1 win that swept the doubleheader. Eric Fornataro was given the spot start and gave up a run on three hits and two walks with two K’s. With next-to-no offense, Fornataro’s effort would be a losing one as the Chiefs were held to two hits, enabling the Bats’ pitchers to get away with seven walks in seven innings.Roster moves: OF Matt den Dekker recalled to Washington; RHP Sam Runion assigned from Harrisburg.

Harrisburg vs. Akron — PPD
It was an extra day off for the Senators as the Tuesday night contest against Akron was rained out. They’ll make it up with a doubleheader tonight.

Potomac took advantage of some sloppy defense in the 8th to rally for two and take the regularly scheduled game, 4-3 to split the four-game series. Starter John Simms pitched into the 7th for the second time in three starts and let in two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four. Wander Suero got the win though his streak of innings without an earned run ended at 12⅔ with a run given up in the 8th. John Wooten and Christopher Bostick both singled and doubled as the P-Nats piled up 11 hits total.Roster moves: RHP Justin Thomas reassigned to Hagerstown; RHP Justin Amlung reassigned to Potomac

Hickory vs. Hagerstown — CNCLD
Rain will shorten this three-game series to a maximum of two games today as the two teams do not meet again in the first half.

Louisville vs. Syracuse — PPD
Rain washed out the first of three against Louisville. It will be made up today with a doubleheader scheduled for 5:05 p.m.Roster moves: LHP Felipe Rivero recalled to Washington; LHP Matt Grace optioned to Washington; RHP P.J. Walters assigned from Washington.

Harrisburg — OFF DAY
It’s a brief three-game homestand for Harrisburg before they make a weekend road trip to Trenton and four-game set next week in New Britain.

The only game to start on Monday did not finish as the 3-3 tie game was suspended in the 10th with the P-Nats at bat with one out and nobody on base. Lucas Giolito started and pitched five scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out nine. Both teams scored twice in the 6th and once in the 10th, with Christopher Bostick tripling and scoring on a Stephen Perez sac fly shortly before the umps ordered the teams off the field. They’ll finish the game at 5:05 p.m. and play the regularly scheduled nine-inning game
30 to 45 minutes afterwards.

Hickory vs. Hagerstown — PPD
Rain also postponed the start of the Hickory-Hagerstown series, and like Syracuse, the plan is to play two games today at 5:05 p.m.

The Bulls scored in each of the first two innings and it was more than enough as they gored the Chiefs for a 3-0 shutout and a three-game sweep. Sam Runion got the spot start and gave up the aforementioned runs in the aforementioned innings on three hits and two walks while striking out two. Mitch Lively turned in four scoreless innings of relief, but the Syracuse offense was stuck in neutral, going 1-for-10 in the clutch and stranding 11 baserunners. Emmanuel Burriss collected multiple hits for the fourth straight game with a single and a double and closed out the month of May with a .304/.385/.451 line in 26 games.Roster moves: RHP Paolo Espino placed on the 3-Day TIL; RHP Sam Runion reassigned from Harrisburg.

The last Sunday in May was just like the first Sunday in May as Harrisburg blew a 4-1 lead to lose 6-4 on a walkoff grand slam. The implosion spoiled yet another strong outing by Joe Ross, who tossed seven innings of one-run ball with just three hits and no walks allowed while striking out eight. Hector Ambriz loaded the bases in the 9th before Brian Dupra was brought on. Dupra got two outs and let in one run before giving up the HR. Shawn Pleffner singled twice and doubled once to go 3-for-4 and lead the Sens offense.Roster move: LHP Bryan Harper activated from the 7-Day DL.

Robbie Dickey was driven into the wall by the Intimidators as they lapped the Suns, 7-5 to take the series, 3-1. Dickey was charged with five runs on three hits and three walks over three-plus innings, as Brett Mooneyham let in all three inherited runners and two more of his own during Kannapolis’s five-run 4th. Hagerstown put up three runs in the 1st and two in the 5th but couldn’t advance a runner past second the rest of the way. Osvaldo Abreu, Alec Keller, and Jeff Gardner combined to go 6-for-13 with five runs scored, two doubles, two triples, and two RBI.

Trea Turner Update
That wobble in the earth’s axis yesterday? It came from Trea Turner’s 23-game hit streak coming to an end with an 0-for-4 in a 3-1 Missions loss. Without a walk, a hit-by-pitch, or catcher’s interference, Turner’s on-base streak was also stopped at 29 games.

Make that six straight losses for Syracuse as Durham rallied in the 8th for a 4-2 win. Paolo Espino got the start in place of Taylor Hill and gave up two homers and four hits total over six and 2/3rds innings. He walked one and struck out eight. Erik Davis took the loss as he was dinged for two runs in the 8th. Emmanuel Burriss and Cutter Dykstra both singled twice as the Chiefs compiled nine hits (all singles) and three walks on offense.Roster move: RHP Taylor Hill recalled to Washington.

Bowie rallied for three in the 6th to turn a 2-0 deficit into eventually winning score of 3-2 over Harrisburg. Austin Voth suffered the loss, his third, with all three BaySox runs allowed on six hits and a walk while fanning eight. Abel De Los Santos worked around a walk in the 8th. The Senators were held to just five hits, with Tony Renda going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI to lead the way. Drew Vettleson was the only other hitter to reach base twice as he walked in the 4th and singled in the 8th.

Hagerstown matched Kannapolis’s single runs in the 7th and 9th inning but not in the 2nd as they fell, 3-2. Connor Bach took the loss, giving up a run on three hits and five walks while setting down four on strikes over four innings. Andrew Cooper let in a run over three innings while Sam Johns gave up a run over two. The offense was held to four hits: three by Grant DeBruin, who doubled twice and scored both Suns runs, and Osvaldo Abreu’s 1st inning double. The rest of the lineup was 0-for-21 with a sacrifice hit and a sacrifice fly.

Trea Turner Update
The rain on Friday merely postponed Turner’s next three hits in Saturday’s doubleheader as the 21-y.o. went 3-for-8 with two RBI, two runs scored, and two strikeouts.

Editor’s Note
While the DSL Nationals were rained out yesterday, it should be noted that I have decided to drop day-to-day coverage of the GCL and DSL. I think I can handle the addition of Auburn to my morning writing session but I know I can’t handle all three short season teams consistently without making sacrifices to the overall coverage. I’m hoping to develop something that I can write on Sundays to summarize those two levels.

The Chiefs outhit the Bulls 5-1, but Durham outscored Syracuse, 3-1. The decision to yo-yo A.J. Cole between starting and relieving, AAA and MLB “paid off” last night as the 23-y.o. issued five straight walks with one out in the fourth and seven total before he was taken out. He would be charged with the loss, and all three Durham runs. Jason Martinson homered in the 7th, but the Syracuse bats were largely silent, collecting just five total and wasting near-perfect relief (4⅔ IP, 0H, BB, 3K) from three relievers.Roster move: RHP Paolo Espino reassigned from Harrisburg.

The Senators shook off a tough loss on Thursday and rallied for three in the 7th to edge the BaySox, 3-2. Colin Bates turned in a quality start with two runs allowed on eight hits and two walks while striking out three. Gilberto Mendez finished with three scoreless innings for his fourth save. Brian Goodwin homered to break up the shutout and lead off the 7th, while Pedro Severino singled with two out to tie, and Tony Renda got plunked for the game-winning, Homer Simpson RBI.Roster move: IF Anthony Rendon assigned from Washington for MLB rehab.

Austin Davidson’s grand slam capped off a five-run 4th as the Suns scorched the Intimidators, 12-6. Starter Jefry Rodriguez fell one out short of getting a Jack Morris win as he was ineffective yet again: five runs on three hits and five walks over four and 2/3rds innings. Mario Sanchez got the win with three and a 1/3rd scoreless innings of relief. Every Hagerstown batter hit safely as they racked up 12 hits total with Brennan Middleton also going deep with a solo shot in the 3rd.

Rafael Martin’s struggles returned as he coughed up three in the 9th to complete Norfolk’s 6-5 comeback win and four-game sweep of Syracuse. For the second straight game, the Chiefs starter pitched well enough to win as Bruce Billings gave up three run on six hits, though two were home runs. He walked none and struck out two. The Tides’ third and final home run was a two-out, two-run walkoff shot off Martin, who blew his second save and lost for the third time. Four Syracuse batters registered multiple hits as the offense produced 11 hits and drew five walks, with Mark Minicozzi and Emmanuel Burriss both reaching base three times.

Richmond rallied in the 9th to tie and won it in the 10th for a 3-2 win. An 89-minute rain delay shelved starter Joe Ross, but James Simmons filled in admirably with four innings of one-run ball, followed by Paul Demny with three scoreless frames. The Senators offense put up two runs in the 1st but was limited to six hits and one walk total. Shawn Pleffner drove in both runs and went 2-for-4 to lead the Harrisburg attack. Hector Ambriz, who had saved two games and won one in his last three appearances, took the loss with two runs allowed over an inning and 2/3rds.

Potomac scored in each of the first three innings and put the game away with a four-run 5th in an 8-3 win over Wilmington. A perhaps too-rested John Simms wobbled through five innings but got his second win in as many starts, giving up three runs on seven hits and five walks over five innings while striking out four. Wander Suero was peppered for seven hits over four scoreless innings to register his first save of 2015. Stephen Perez singled twice, walked twice, and drove in two to lead the P-Nats offense.Roster moves: RHP Phillips Valdez promoted from Hagerstown; RHP Tyler Mapes placed on the 3-Day Temporary Inactive List.

Matt Purke made his first start since having Tommy John surgery last May in a 4-0 Hagerstown loss to Kannapolis. The oft-injured southpaw was charged with two runs on three hits over four innings. He walked none and struck out three. The Suns ‘pen walked seven over five innings but gave up just two more runs. The Hagerstown batters were held to four hits and four walks and were just 1-for-8 with RISP with seven men left on base. Osvaldo Abreu and Grant DeBruin both reached base twice with a single and a walk.Roster moves: LHP Matt Purke activated from XST.

The Chiefs bats remained AWOL as the Tide shut them out, 3-0 for Syracuse’s third straight loss. Scott McGregor was the hard-luck loser, letting in two runs on eight hits and no walks while striking out three. Mark Minicozzi singled twice while Darin Mastroianni and Tony Gwynn Jr. each singled once to account for the four (4) hits. Caleb Ramsey drew two of the four walks as the Chiefs left on all eight baserunners and were 0-for-4 with RISP.

The Harrisburg defense blocked two extra points but couldn’t cross the goal line in a 12-0 loss to Richmond. Reigning E.L. Pitcher of the Week Richard Bleier took the brunt of the beating, charged with eight runs on eight hits and a walk over four and 2/3rds innings for his first AA loss of the season. The Senators offense was held to four singles, one double (Brian Goodwin), and five walks with Brian Jeroloman the only batter to reach base three times on a single and two walks.

The lack of hitting was spotted in Woodbridge, too, in a 3-1 Potomac loss to Wilmington. Matt Spann took the loss, his fifth, while giving up all three Blue Rocks runs on nine hits and a walk. The P-Nats 5th encapsulated the offensive struggles as Brandon Miller drew a leadoff walk and would have scored on a James Yezzo double to the right-center gap had it not bounced over the fence for a ground-rule double. Miller and Yezzo would watch the next two batters strike out then a flyout ended the 2nd-and-3rd no-out threat.

Wilmington broke open a 0-0 game with a five-run 5th and easily took the nightcap, 5-1 to sweep the doubleheader. Starter Tyler Mapes scattered five hits over four scoreless innings with no walks and four K’s. The loss went to Jake Johansen, who was pummeled for a second straight appearance as the Blue Rocks sent nine men to the plate in his first inning of work and five of them came in to score. Spencer Kieboom doubled twice and Stephen Perez doubled once to account for three of the four hits and the sole run (Perez sac fly in the 6th) that Potomac produced.

Greensboro prevented a three-game sweep by Hagerstown with an 8-5 win in the series finale. Losing pitcher Brett Mooneyham gave up the decisive three runs on four hits, a hit batsman, and two wild pitched in one inning thrown. Starter Luis Reyes was dinged for four runs (three earned) on eight hits, including two solo HRs. The Suns collected 12 hits — five less than the rest of the Nats minors on Wedensday — with David Masters and Grant DeBruin both going 3-for-4.

Trea Turner Update
Turner struck out twice and was only 1-for-4 on Wednesday, which dropped his batting average to a paltry .342 but extended his hit streak to 13 games.

The Chiefs bats were held to just three hits in a 3-1 loss to the Tides. Mitch Lively was the first of five pitchers to take the mound and the loser for allowing two runs on four hits and two walks with two K’s. Eric Fornataro followed with two scoreless, while Erik Davis let in the third Norfolk run in his two frames. Emmanuel Burriss singled, walked, and stole two bases while scoring the sole Syracuse run. Tony Gwynn Jr. drove him in with a double in the 1st while Josh Johnson accounted for the third and final hit in 9th.

Richmond exploded for five runs in the 3rd and cruised to a 6-3 win over Harrisburg. Dakota Bacus took the loss in his second AA start, charged with all six runs on seven hits (including a three-run HR) over five innings. He walked two and struck out three. Gilberto Mendez tossed two scoreless innings and Brian Dupra one to keep the Sens within striking distance. Derrick Robinson led the Harrisburg offense with three singles and a stolen base, but the rest of the lineup managed just five hits and left on 12 baserunners.LHP Richard Bleier was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week.

Potomac — OFF DAY
After a drive-by, three-game homestand last week, the last-place P-Nats are in town for eight games in seven days, beginning with a doubleheader tonight (weather permitting) against the first-place Blue Rocks.

Dale Carey homered twice and drove in three as the Suns scored the last seven runs in a 10-3 win over the Grasshoppers. Robbie Dickey was activated shortly before the game but was ineffective, giving up all three Greensboro runs on six hits and a walk over two and 2/3rds innings. The win went to Andrew Cooper, who stranded two in the 3rd and went two and a 1/3rd innings total. Expected starter Drew Van Orden tossed four shutout innings for the rulebook save. Grant DeBruin was the only other Hagerstown batter to record multiple hits, thanks the Grasshopper pitchers issuing nine walks to enable ten runs to score on just eight hits.Roster moves: RHP Austen Williams reassigned to XST, RHP Robbie Dickey reassigned from XST.

Trea Turner Update
Turner singled and doubled and stole a base for a 2-for-4 night, a 12-game hit streak, and a 25-game on-base streak.

A five-run 8th turned the, um, tide of a 2-1 game as Norfolk defeated Syracuse, 7-2. The loss went to Taylor Hill despite pitching into the 7th and letting in just two runs on eight hits and a walk. Manny Delcarmen retired just one of four batters faced in the 8th while Rich Hill prevented none of three inherited runners from scoring and let in two more to put the game away for the Tides. Four Chiefs recorded multiple hits but just three came with RISP as the team left on 14 runners.

Harrisburg closed out its seven-game homestand with another one-run victory, this one a 3-2 decision against New Britain. Drew Vettleson drove in two in the 7th to plate the tying and winning runs and make a winner out of James Simmons. Austin Voth started and went the first five innings, allowing one run on four hits and striking out five. Abel De Los Santos and Hector Ambriz each threw a 1-2-3 inning to earn the hold and save respectively. Kevin Keyes singled, walked, and doubled to pace the Senators offense.Roster move: RHP Paolo Espino reassigned from Syracuse.

Giolito may very well master the National League someday, but first he needs to get past the Carolina League. Myrtle Beach jumped on the Nats top prospect for three runs early, connecting for four extra-base hits in the first two innings and six hits total over five innings as Giolito suffered his third loss in four starts. The Potomac offense was limited to just four baserunners in nine innings. Craig Manuel was the sole P-Nat to reach base twice with a 6th-inning single and a hit-by-pitch in the 8th.

Hagerstown answered Greensboro’s two-run 2nd with two in the and added single runs in the 7th and 8th innings en route to a 4-2 win in the series opener. Austen Williams won his team-high sixth game with a quality start of two runs on five hits and a walk while striking out five. Mario Sanchez finished the game with three scoreless for his second save. David Masters collected multiple hits for the third straight game, going 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored though the Suns did whiff 11 times and walked just once.Roster moves: 1B Jose Marmolejos-Diaz, C Jorge Tillero reassigned to XST; C Raudy Read activated from 7-Day DL; IF Carlos Lopez reassigned from XST.

Trea Turner Update
Keep both hands on the keyboard while you read that Turner went 1-for-3 in both games of the San Antonio-Frisco doubleheader to extend his hit streak to 11 games and his on-base streak to 24 games.